Each time I update this newsletter by changing the month, I see again the reminder stating how many years the Handmade Tile Association has been around. For me fifteen years is somewhat surreal to think about. It seems like I met so many of these tile makers only a few years ago. At the same time, I feel like I have always known them. But now a few of them have started to retire and I realize we are moving into the second generation of the Association.

I have been contacted by numerous new tile makers over the years who tell me how they love to follow our group to see the new designs and projects we have all been creating. I am hoping this next group of tile artisans will take up the baton and join us in our quest to get America to utilize handmade tiles in their homes and art collections. With over 2,000 handmade tile makers across the country, most working independently, our combined knowledge and skills has a vast potential to influence the building community.

I look forward to meeting many more tile makers in the coming years and I hope many of these 2,000 tile makers will reach out to the Handmade Tile Association, to collaborate to build a better tile community.

Many tile makers and tile artists of the Handmade Tile Association started in their basements or garages. They invested in featuring their newest work in the Handmade Tile Association Annual Directory and website. That repeated advertising, time and time again, has helped them build their identity, promoting their work to tile showrooms, architects, designers, tile setters, publications, editors, collectors, art centers and the public.

By having your work, product or service showcased both in print and online (www.handmadetileassociaton.org), your name leapfrogs to a national audience for as little as $350 a year. We print 10,000 directories annually. Our website is in the top searches for dozens of key words. If you are looking to build your audience, we invite you to be a part of the 16th Annual 2015 HTA Directory. We want to help you grow and to achieve your highest potential of your tile business.

In the upcoming directory we are looking to create a section on patterns, to help readers understand and utilize tile patterns in their projects. From simple to complex, we are requesting quality photos of classic tile patterns, either from your own work or from photos you have previously submitted to the Handmade Tile Association for

We are recognizing our highest "Liked" post of the month on our Facebook page. Send us your best and see if you can win this most prestigious honor!

Blocks of wood may mean hours of manual labor for some, but for Gary Tallman, 82, he sees them as a canvas for artwork. Tallman, of Monarch, MT, uses the natural colors of wood cut from the forest near his home to create intricate, stunning mosaics. This piece depicts mountains, trees and owls, including one peeking from the ground.